The Durban University of Technology (DUT) is guided by the ENVISION2030 Living Values Framework (LVF), which comprises five core values: transparency, honesty, integrity, respect, and accountability, underpinned by the principles of fairness, professionalism, commitment, compassion, and excellence.
Recently, DUT Communications team member Sinamile Sithole engaged with Esther Joubert, Quality Promotion Officer at the Faculty of Applied Sciences, Steve Biko Campus, to explore how the LVF aligns with DUT’s ENVISION2030 mission.
Q: Kindly tell us about your role at DUT
A: “I am a Quality Promotion Officer in the Faculty of Applied Sciences, tasked with facilitating the establishment, maintenance, and enhancement of quality management systems at faculty level, aligned to ENVISION2030.”
Q: How long have you been a member of the DUT family?
A: “I first joined DUT in 2012 and worked here until 2019, before returning in August 2021. Altogether, I have been part of the DUT family for more than 12 years.”
Q: Which Living Value or Principle do you most associate with and why?
A: “While all the values and principles are important, I most closely associate with excellence. In higher education, quality and excellence go hand in hand. Quality is about compliance and standards; excellence is about doing the right things in the best way. At DUT, excellence drives innovation, groundbreaking research, and transformative teaching. It ensures we go beyond just meeting standards to being distinctive, as our tagline emphasises.”
Q: What are your views on DUT’s new tagline: Creative, Distinctive, Impactful?
A: “It’s a great, catchy tagline. The ‘Distinctive’ element is especially relevant, as it highlights our unique qualities and competitive advantages. It communicates that our standards are not only met but distinguished by the specific excellence of our institution’s output.”
Q: How do you keep abreast of the LVF?
A: “I stay engaged with institutional updates, workshops, and faculty discussions where these values are operationalised. I actively embed the LVF in student orientation talks and study guides, modelling these values in my daily interactions with students and colleagues to ensure they are both visible and actionable.”
Q: One thing most people don’t know about you
A: “Most people don’t know that I was once a medical student. I realised it wasn’t the right fit for me and switched paths to follow my true passion. I have never looked back.”
Q: How will the LVF benefit DUT?
A: “The LVF transforms quality from a bureaucratic requirement into a shared institutional value. When accountability is internalised, quality becomes a collective responsibility. By living these values, interactions with students and stakeholders improve naturally, enhancing teaching, learning, and administration. Essentially, the LVF provides the ‘soft infrastructure’ that allows our policies and systems to function optimally.”
Q: How do you spend your spare time?
A: “I enjoy outdoor activities to maintain physical, mental, and emotional well-being. My family, especially my three children, is a top priority. I balance professional commitments with quality family time, from active engagement to simple stay-at-home movie nights.”
Q: How do you plan to make a positive impact at DUT?
A: “I aim to foster a culture of quality that goes beyond compliance toward genuine excellence. By aligning my work with the LVF, feedback from students, industry, and peers informs tangible improvements in teaching, learning, and assessment. My goal is to streamline systems to be efficient, sustainable, and fit for purpose.”
Q: What is your daily motivation?
A: “My Christian faith guides my personal and professional life. I aim to lead with integrity, serve others, and make a tangible, positive difference, starting with my family and extending to the broader DUT community.”
Q: What are your future goals at DUT?
A: “My long-term goal is to help the Faculty of Applied Sciences become the premier destination for students in these disciplines. By championing ENVISION2030 and our Philosophy of Education, I aim to create an environment where creativity and innovation flourish, ensuring students reach their full potential.”
Q: If you were granted one wish, what would it be?
A: “I would wish for universal and equitable access to high-quality education, paired with holistic support systems that ensure every student can realise their full potential and achieve their dreams.”
